Trying to shape a disruptive Synthesist. Grapple/Constrict or Trip?

[ZDPhoenix]

Right now, I've got a level 4 Synthesist. Stat Block Below.


Male half-elf summoner (synthesist) 4 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 54; Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 80)
LN Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +11
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Defense
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AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+1 deflection, +3 dexterity, +4 natural, +2 shield)
hp 24 (4d8+4)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +11; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +5 (1d3+1 nonlethal) or
. . bite +5 (1d8+1), slam +5 (2d6+1), tail slap +0 (1d6)
Summoner Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +9)
. . 8/day—summon monster
Summoner (Synthesist) Spells Known (CL 4th; concentration +9)
. . 2nd (2/day)—invisibility, communal mount{super}UC{/super}
. . 1st (5/day)—identify, mage armor, lesser rejuvenate eidolon{super}APG{/super}, ventriloquism (DC 16)
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, mending, message, open/close (DC 15), read magic
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Statistics
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Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 20
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 19 (can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Extra Evolution[UM], Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +6 (+8 to balance), Bluff +9, Climb +9, Diplomacy +6, Fly +7, Handle Animal +9, Linguistics +7, Perception +11, Ride +7, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +8, Stealth +13, Use Magic Device +11; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Aklo, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Terran
SQ eidolon link, elf blood, fused eidolon, fused link, share spells with eidolon, shielded meld
Other Gear ring of protection +1, 150 gp
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Special Abilities
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Climbing (30 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Combat Reflexes (4 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Eidolon Link (Ex) Mental link allows communication over any distance, but share magic item slots.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Fused Eidolon A synthesist summons the essence of a powerful outsider to meld with his own being. The synthesist wears the eidolon like translucent, living armor. The eidolon mimics all of the synthesist's movements, and the synthesist perceives through the eidolo
Fused Link (Su) Starting at 1st level, the synthesist forms a close bond with his eidolon. Whenever the temporary hit points from his eidolon would be reduced to 0, the summoner can, as a free action, sacrifice any number of his own hit points. Each hit point sacrif
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Share Spells with Eidolon (Ex) Your spells ignore type restrictions for Eidolon and it can recieve your personal spells.
Shielded Meld (Ex) At 4th level, whenever the synthesist is fused with his eidolon, he gains a +2 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on his saving throws. This ability replaces shield ally.
Summon Monster II (8/day) (Sp) Standard action summon lasts minutes, but only 1 active at a time and can't use with eidolon.
Tail (Ex) Tail grants +2 Acrobatics checks for balance.
Trip (Ex) You can make a trip attempt on a successful attack.
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I'm debating where I should go with him. The point of the character has been to be annoying in a fight (stumbling up groups of prone baddies), while keeping enemies occupied and still being able to deliver a fair amount of damage through AoO's.

But would bite/grab/constrict be a better avenue?

Basically, I'm wondering if I should continue to make him a trip machine, to capitalize on running into a group of enemies and keeping them all occupied... or go grapple/constrict and play up the whole snake bite gimmick; and if there's a clearly more advantageous choice, that I'm just not seeing in the long run.

Can anyone provide me with their recommendations and perhaps opinions on the direction I should go?

Thanks in advance, for your time and experience.

[Barstro]

I'm a fan of a single attack biting quadruped with trip. At level 7 (multi-attack) with haste it's three attacks at highest BAB with free trips. There are a couple feats out there that allow for free AoO on tripped foes to increase that to 5+ attacks per round (Combat Reflexes willing).

If you are set on serpent (didn't notice that when I first read your post), you cannot pounce, so there are fewer chances of getting full attacks. I think it's more party dependent on which type of control is best.

[grarrrg]

I'm a fan of a single attack biting quadruped with trip. At level 7 (multi-attack) with haste it's three attacks at highest BAB with free trips.

I might be missing something, but Eidolons don't get Multiattack (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons#TOC-Multiattack) until level 9 (when they get their 7th HD).
And when they do, assuming you have less than 3 attacks, their bonus attack is at -5 to-hit.

So it should be:

At level 9 (multi-attack) with haste it's three attacks, 2 of those at highest BAB, and all with free trips.

[Barstro]

You are correct. I knew that too, darn it.

[ZDPhoenix]

I'm a fan of a single attack biting quadruped with trip. At level 7 (multi-attack) with haste it's three attacks at highest BAB with free trips. There are a couple feats out there that allow for free AoO on tripped foes to increase that to 5+ attacks per round (Combat Reflexes willing).

If you are set on serpent (didn't notice that when I first read your post), you cannot pounce, so there are fewer chances of getting full attacks. I think it's more party dependent on which type of control is best.

Thanks for the info, Barstro and to grarrrg for mentioning level 9 for Multi-Attack. I'm not set on serpent. Originally, I was a biped, with claws and slam.

So Trip seems to be the way to go huh?

Maybe I should look into Pounce builds for tripping.